Eastbound to the Balloon Fiesta

[Michael Bulriss]

I get the impression someone is really happy to 'be on the road again' with all the daily pressures far behind! LOL.

Tommy, that was the best travel blog I think I have ever read on the forum. I hope you have time for daily updates at the balloon festival so that us wage slaves can live vicariously!

Don't worry if anything breaks because Rick lives to fix stuff. And remember that ever tale he tells is the absolute truth (right then in his mind) so be sure and believe everything he says with a straight face. All the LSB folks know he never makes stuff up. Honest!

As far as the rough neighborhood, I suspect the Texans are well prepared to help your Sig. Watch for snakes while on patrol in the dark.

Enjoy the week. It's a heck of a sight.

Mike Bulriss

1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"

In the barn in San Antonio, TX

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 6, 2010, at 12:54 AM, "tcandt" <"tom.mccarthy@cox.net"> wrote:

Today, we drove from Holbrook, AZ to Albuquerque Palisades RV Park. There are two words that do not fit this place; palisades and park. It is a little rough and I am patrolling all night long with my .40 caliber Sig Sauer. We will make the best of it.



The drive was uneventful today. A little rain but not much else. Fortunately, I installed a Sirius sateltie radio in the coach so we could listen to all sorts of music along the way. On the 70s station, we were blessed with hearing The Village People performing YMCA. For those who don't know, I was the original Cowboy, backup lead singer and choreographer for TVP (yeah, really). I was so moved to hear the old band that I stood up and formed all the letters of YMCA as we drove down the road. Thank goodness for cruise control. Carolyn had a moment when I started to dance the full routine holding the coach in line with one knee. So much for nostalgia.



Curt left us in his exhaust trail and moved way in front today. Fortunately, Betty had a Jones for a Dairy Queen ice cream and they stopped west of Grants and we caught up. Already there at DQ was Ed and Penny Arnold on their way to the balloon fiesta. We stayed for lunch and then headed to our rendevous with the Lone Star Birds at Palisades.



Tonight was quiet. I had to break out a lader to climb into our coach after leveling. We put 8 inches of blocks under the front jakcs and still almost lifted to over extend the jacks. The climb to the coach is extreme. The front tires are 6 inches off the gound. There are Prevosts everywhere here (they are the ones with the 1991 rusted Cadillacs next to them that have not been moved for 20 years?). I did not know Prevost made so many small trailers.



Samantha, our Jack Russell, is very pleased that there are so many feral cats in the park. It keeps her very busy.



Tomorrow, we caravan to the balloon fiesta site where we will be living for the rest of the week. What a great idea to mix Southwest people with Texans! We are bonding every moment we spend together. Rick Archie is doing a great job telling everyone we can all get along. He learned that from Rodney King.



As I patrol the park with my Sig, I am very happy I did not chamber a cartridge. I am afraid I would shoot myself for being found in this park. Did I tell you about how nice my site is?



More to come later.

__________________

Tommy 'Two Shoes' McCarthy



1995 PT42 WBSA

Poway CA



--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "tcandt" wrote:

>

> From Monday:

>

> Today on our way to Albuquerque was interesting. It started off with T-storms in the distance. Our hope of avoiding them was lost when we entered a big cell. I noticed some guy in a robe holding a staff ushering pair of animals to a big ship out in the field. Rivers of water floating down Interstate 40. I immediately remembered I forgot to shower this morning.

>

> We stopped in Williams, AZ for lunch after clearing another storm. We had lunch at Pancho McGuillicuddy's restaurant. Great menu! You could get a corned beef and cabbage burritto, shepard's pie enchiladas, Irish stew tortilla soup and much more. I ordered a special Pancho coffee and received a hot glass of Irish whiskey, tequila, topped with a dollop of salsa. No identity issues in that place.

>

> We are stopped for the night at OK RV in Holbrook, AZ. This place is OK. We all have pull through spot together. No one had to unhook toads. Ready for the barroom shootout at 10 PM. We should be on the road by the crack of 10 AM. Curt found out they have free coffee and pastries at 8 AM so we will never get out by 9.

>

>

> Tommy Two Shoes

> 1995 PT42

> Poway Ca

>

> --- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "tcandt" wrote:

> >

> > From Sunday:

> >

> > Today, Sunday, we met at Rod Gallagher's riverside resort on the AZ side of the Colorado River. Unfortunately, Rod only had 15 toys for each person in our little caravan. We only could choose between ski boats, off-road vehicles, jet skis, off-road ready grills, and many more. We took a vote and decided to stay here for the week but someone had a conscience and we will head to ALB anyway.

> >

> > When we arrived with Pretty Penny, it was like Goldie Locks and the 3 Bears; which 50 amp spot would we choose. The one facing south or one facing west at the river's edge. We tried out a few before settling on a westward view on the water. Nice sunset.

> >

> > We have 3 Birds and 3 SOBs heading east in the morning. We plan to stop in Williams, AZ, for lunch, gateway to the Grand Canyon and the famous Grand Canyon Railroad. It has a restored section of the original Route 66 complete with an ice cream shop where one can order a malted or a banana split from the soda jerks (not the drivers in the caravan).

> >

> > Tonight, we feasted on fine Southern Italian cuisine prepared especially for us by the James Beard Award winning chef, Chef Dominos. We enjoyed a fine preparation of dough, tomato sauce, Italian sausage, peppers, ham, pepperoni, olives and more. We all were amply sated and will have leftovers for later in the week.

> >

> > Taskmaster, Curt Sprenger (I mean wagonmaster) will play Reveille at 0 dark 30 so we can be on highway 40 at the crack of 9 AM. That is 12 hours from now so I need to sign off and hit the sack.

> >

> > Tommy Two Shoes

> > 1995 PT42

> > Poway, CA

> >

>